Luggage tag



y 1968 J- w. FIELD 3,384,984

LUGGAGE TAG Filed Jan. 11. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly 4 own/roe JACK w. FIELD J. W. FIELD LUGGAGE TAG May 28, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11,. 1965 United States Patent "ice 3,384,984 LUGGAGE TAG Jack W. Field, 50 Riverside Drive,

New York, N.Y. 10024 Filed Jan. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 424,549 3 Claims. (Cl. 40-21) This invention relates to improvements in identification tags, and more particularly concerns a luggage tag which may be attached to a piece of luggage in order to identify the owner.

It is an object of this invention to provide a luggage tag which is attractive in appearance, light in weight, and is easily opened to permit the insertion of an identification card and is easily closed to retain that card.

It is another object to provide a luggage tag which may be easily opened and closed so that the identification tag may be removed and replaced when desired.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including its simplicity and economy, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a luggage tag constructed in accordance with this invention looking at the front of the tag with the tag open;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective looking at the back of the tag with the tag open;

FIG. 3 is a view in front elevation of the tag with the tag in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a view in bottom plan of the tag of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view of the left end of the tag of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of the inner face of the cover member of the tag;

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of the invention looking at the front of the tag wit the tag open;

FIG. 8 is a view in perspective of the tag of FIG. 7 looking at the back of the tag with the tag open;

FIG. 9 is a view in front elevation showing the tag closed;

FIG. 10 is a view in bottom plan of the tag of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a view of the left end of the tag of FIG. 9.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiments of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1-6 a luggage tag 11 which comprises a rectangularly shaped base member 12 having an inner face 13 and an outer face 14, and a cover member 15 which has an inner face 16 and an outer face 17 and includes a window 18 which is defined by a window frame 21.

A hinge element 22, which is integrally formed with base and cover members 12, 15 and is thinner than those members, connects them together along a crease line so that base and cover members 12, 15 may be folded over each other to retain an identification card therebetween.

A series of pins 23 extend from inner face 16 of cover member 15 along its periphery. Base member 12 is provided with a series of holes 24 formed therein which receive pins 23 and hold them in frictional engagement to hold the base and cover members 12, 15 together in a detachable fashion.

A strap 25 extends from the non-hinged end of base member 12 and is provided at its free end with an enlarged head 26. It includes a hole 27 that is larger than the holes 24 in base member 12 so that a cover member pin passes freely therethrough.

A recessed area 28 is formed in the inner face 16 of cover member 15 and surrounds one of the pins 23. Area 3,384,984 Patented May 28, 1968 28 is adapted to receive strap head 26 so that the inner face of the strap head is flush with the inner face 16 of cover member 15.

Luggage tag 11 is integrally formed as a single blank, and is preferably made of polypropylene. The tag may be opened and closed an enormous number of times without causing failure of hinge element 22.

In use, an identification card is placed against base inner face 13, strap is looped through the handle of a piece of luggage, strap head 26 is seated in recessed area 28, and the luggage tag is snapped closed by inserting the pins 23 in the holes 24 which frictionally engage to hold base member 12 against cover member 15 and to hold the identification card securely therebetween.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 7-11 differs from luggage tag 11 in the type of strap that is provided. Luggage tag 31 of FIGS. 7-11, comprises a base member 32 with an inner face 33 and an outer face 34, a cover member 35 with an inner face 36 and an outer face 37 and a window 38 formed therein and defined by a frame 41, and a hinge element 42 connecting the base and cover members 32, 35 together so that they may be folded over each other to retain an identification card therebetween.

A series of pins 43 extend from the inner face 33 of cover member 35 around its outer periphery. The base member 32 has a series of holes 44 formed therein which receive pins 43 and hold them in frictional engagement to hold the base and cover members 32, 35 together in a detachable fashion.

A pair of apertures 45 in base member 42 and a pair of apertures 46 in cover member 35 are provided which register with each other when the cover and base members 32, 35 are held together in closed position.

A flexible plastic strap 47 is provided which has a tapered head 48 at each end. The heads 48 taper outwardly from the strap ends toward a pair of arresting shoulders 51. Because of the tapering of heads 48 and the arresting shoulders 51, the ends of strap 47 may be passed easily through apertures 45, 46 in one direction, but are prevented from passing easily through the apertures in the reverse direction by the arresting shoulders 51.

Base and cover members 32, 35 and hinge element 42 are integrally formed as a single blank, and luggage tag 31 is preferably made of polypropylene.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a presently preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts may be reversed such as forming the pins on the base member and the holes in the cover member, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently of the use of other features, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A luggage tag comprising a base member having inner and outer faces, a cover member having inner and outer faces and a window formed therein, a hinge element connecting the base and cover members together so that they may be folded over each other to retain an identification card therebetween, a series of pins extending from the inner face of the cover member, said base member having a series of holes formed therein which receive said pins and hold them in frictional engagement to hold the base and cover members together in a detachable fashion, said base and cover members and hinge element being integrally formed as a single blank, said luggage tag being made of a plastic material, and a strap operatively connected to said blank and extending therefrom with a free end having an enlarged head and means on the base member and the cover member which cooperate to receive an end portion of the strap and secure it in locked position.

2. A luggage tag comprising a base member having inner and outer faces, a cover member having inner and outer faces and a window formed therein, a hinge element connecting the base and cover members together so that they may be folded over each other to retain an identification card therebetween, a series of pins extending from the inner face of the cover member, said base member having a series of holes formed therein which receive said pins and hold them in frictional engagement to hold the base and cover members together in a detachable fashion, a strap extending from the base member and having a free end with an enlarged head that includes a hole which is larger than the holes in the base member so that a cover member pin passes freely therethrough, and a recessed area in the inner face of the cover member surrounding one of said pins and adapted to receive said strap head so that its inner face is flush with the inner face of the cover member, said luggage tag being integrally formed as a single blank, said luggage tag being made of polypropylene.

3. A luggage tag comprising a base member having inner and outer faces, a cover member having inner and outer faces and a window formed therein, a hinge element connecting the base and cover members together so that they may be folded over each other to retain an identification card therebetween, a series of pins extending from the inner face of the cover member, said base member having a series of holes formed therein which receive said pins and hold them in frictional engagement to hold the base and cover members together in a detachable fashion, a pair of apertures in the base member, a pair of apertures in the cover member which register with the base member apertures when the cover and base members are held together, and a flexible plastic strap having a head at each end, said heads tapering outwardly from the strap ends toward a pair of arresting shoulders, whereby the end of the strap may be passed easily through said apertures in one direction because of the taper and said end is prevented from passing easily through said apertures in the other direction by said arresting shoulders, said base and cover members and hinge element being integrally formed as a single blank, said luggage tag being made of polypropylene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,581 2/1893 Morgan 40-17 2,511,651 6/1950 Schlitz 40-10 2,624,139 1/1953 Kottke 40--10 FOREIGN PATENTS 795,492 5/1958 Great Britain. 1,283,028 12/1961 France.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LUGGAGE TAG COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER HAVING INNER AND OUTER FACES, A COVER MEMBER HAVING INNER AND OUTER FACES AND A WINDOW FORMED THEREIN, A HINGE ELEMENT CONNECTING THE BASE AND COVER MEMBERS TOGETHER SO THAT THEY MAY BE FOLDED OVER EACH OTHER TO RETAIN AN IDENTIFICATION CARD THEREBETWEEN, A SERIES OF PINS EXTENDING FROM THE INNER FACE OF THE COVER MEMBER, SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING A SERIES OF HOLES FORMED THEREIN WHICH RECEIVE SAID PINS AND HOLD THEM IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT TO HOLD THE BASE AND COVER MEMBERS TOGETHER IN A DETACHABLE FASHION, SAID BASE AND COVER MEMBERS AND HINGE ELEMENT BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED AS A SINGLE BLANK, SAID LUG- 